Langkawi is the largest island of the archipelago of the same name in the Andaman Sea. It is only 30 km long, so it is quite possible to get around here on foot, by bicycle or by bike. The island lives on tourism, and there is something to see: there are mangroves, karst caves, waterfalls, beautiful sandy beaches with a gentle entrance, places for interesting diving and snorkeling.
Top 10 attractions in Langkawi
Kilim river
Kilim is the most popular "excursion" river of the island, along the banks of which several attractions are located. First of all, the river itself is interesting with its mangroves, many birds and monkeys and a fantastic landscape. In several places, the Kilim River flows through limestone cliffs that form karst caves. Some of them are available for inspection. Bats nest on their ceilings. In addition, there are places for feeding eagles on the river - they flock here in flocks for pieces of meat that tourists offer them.
There are a lot of birds of prey in the Kilim reserve, you can find both a black kite and a white-bellied eagle, but the symbol of the island is the red eagle. There is a fish farm, which is usually brought in at the end of the excursion to have a bite to eat here: you can feed the fish and swim with them. There are habitats for crocodiles, wild mountain bees and snakes.
Mount Gunung
This is the highest point on the island. The height of the mountain is 881 meters, so the ascent does not require any special skills. There is a good road to the top, you can climb on foot, or on a bike rented at the foot.
In addition to the asphalt road, there is also a trekking ecological route 3 km long one way, it is laid along the slope of the mountain through the territory of the small national park Lubok Semilang. Most of this route is a staircase, there are 4278 steps. It may be difficult, but on the other hand, it climbs through a wild forest, and along the way there are waterfalls, monkeys, many insects, birds and interesting plants.
At the top of the mountain there is an observation deck, from which you can see almost the entire island, and for a small fee, you can also climb the turret, from which the view is even better. It is better to go there on a cloudless day, because sometimes fog and clouds obscure the view.
Sky suspension bridge
From the East Village to the top of the nearby Mat Cincang Mountain at a height of 708 meters, there is a cable car, which is considered one of the steepest in the world, with an ascent angle of only 42 degrees. The booths are closed, and the travel time is 20 minutes. At the very top there is an observation deck, a cafe and a toilet.
And the most interesting thing starts from the cable car - the Sky Bridge suspension bridge over the abyss. Its length is 125 meters, and it really hovers in the sky, and sometimes it can hide in the clouds. So it is better to come here in sunny weather, and besides, keep in mind that it can be cool and windy at altitude even on the hottest tropical day. The cable car and the visit to the bridge are paid separately.
The East Village itself, from which the road starts, is a mini-town, consisting mainly of restaurants and duty-free shops. There is nothing ethnographic here, except for local souvenirs, but shopping itself may seem interesting.
Pulau Payar Marine Park
People come to Malaysia not only to swim, but also to study the life of coral reefs. Not far away is the longest reef system on the planet - the Great Barrier Reef. Around the islands of Malaysia, there are many sites that also have beautiful reefs - for example, Payar Marine Park - just 30 km from Langkawi.
Pulau Payar Island is a small atoll, only 100-200 meters wide and one and a half kilometers long, there is nothing on it except a patch of wild jungle where no one is allowed, a beach and diving sites. It is forbidden to build hotels here and stay overnight. The area that is available for snorkeling and diving is also limited - but usually there are many beautiful fish here. Many black and reef sharks come across - they are small and not dangerous for humans, but still impressive.
Bird Paradise Park
Bird Paradise bird park, combined with a zoo, is located 10 kilometers from the capital of the island. Birds are plentiful and safe food is sold at the entrance. There are many bright tropical almost tame parrots, a flock of flamingos, peacocks walk freely along the paths. There are areas for waterfowl, small birds that are accustomed to pecking grain from their hands, and ostriches.
In addition to birds, there are rare species of turtles, a pond with colorful decorative carps, porcupines, raccoons, meerkats, several large monkeys, a corral with decorative rabbits and chickens. In general, this is just a small petting zoo, designed mainly for children, but there are indeed more than 150 species of birds, and most of them are vibrant tropical creatures.
Air Hangat Village Black Beach and Hot Springs
The most beautiful beach on the island, covered not with white, but with black sand. This sand is not of volcanic origin, as in most such places, but consists of fragments of black rocks washed from the mountains by rains - this is ilmenite and tourmaline. You cannot swim on the beach, here you can only sunbathe, take some colorful photos and have a snack in restaurants on the shore.
But the hot springs of Air Hangat Village are located very close, where you can just swim. The origin of the springs is associated with the general high volcanic activity of the region. Their temperature is about 40 degrees, and the composition is similar to sea water. During the season it is crowded, but on the other hand, performances with folk songs and dances take place every day, and not in the season it is quiet, deserted and cozy.
Tomb of Mahsuri
One of the few historical sights of the island, so it is worth seeing for this reason alone.
In the 19th century, a sad story happened on the island: a noble woman named Maskhuri, in the absence of her husband, was accused of treason and brutally executed by the inhabitants of the city. Before her death, she cursed them for 7 generations ahead - with this curse, residents associate all the misfortunes and troubles that occurred here during the 20th century. It is believed that only now, at the beginning of the 21st century, the curse has stopped working.
The place is a small ethnographic complex: in addition to the marble mausoleum of Mahsuri itself, there are several traditional Malay houses, a museum exposition of household items. They can teach how to play Malay board games and show a film about Mahsur, albeit without dubbing in English.
Seven Wells Waterfall
This is a beautiful multistage waterfall on one of the island's peaks. There are 638 steps leading to it, which starts right from the parking lot. There are several recreation areas along the way, from which you can view and photograph the waterfall from below.
The waterfall is called that way, because jets of water knocked out 7 bowls on one of the ledges, in which cool water accumulates. A staircase leads to this place, where there is a swimming area, gazebos and toilets. Flocks of monkeys graze here, and you should be very careful with them: they can steal things left unattended.
You can climb even higher - the path leads up to the very top, the length of the road will be about a kilometer with a total rise of another 200 meters. The route is not specially marked, but at the beginning there is an information poster with a map.
The waterfall is more beautiful and full of water in autumn, during the rainy season, but be careful - the road up during this period may be slippery, and it will be cloudy above. In the hot season, you can enjoy beautiful views from the mountain, but the waterfall will not be particularly impressive.
Lake Dayang Bunting
Boat excursion to a small island south of Langkawi - Dayang, which has a unique attraction: a freshwater lake. It was formed from a karst sinkhole filled with fresh water. The lake is very beautiful, it is home to lured fish that swim right up to the piers, and there is a trail around the lake. There is a place called the "border of a miracle", where only 30 meters remain from the fresh water of the lake to the salty sea.
Legend has it that this lake is capable of curing infertility, so many young women flock here. The beautiful princess Sari is said to have had a child but died shortly after birth. Through her prayer, the spirits revived the baby, but they settled in this lake in the form of a huge white crocodile, and now the waters of the lake help those who wish to become pregnant.
The entire territory of the island is considered a national park, if you do not go here with an organized excursion, you can take a walk around it. There are also many monkeys here, with which you need to be careful, otherwise you can lose your purse, water bottle or even your mobile phone.
Rice museum
It is located in the southwest of the island next to the most popular Chenan Beach. This is a rice plantation museum.
Rice is the basis of local cuisine, the word "rice" is synonymous with "food" for almost all peoples of Asia. There are different types of rice and different ways of processing the grains, which will give different tastes in the output. Here you can look at the flooded rice fields, see how rice is planted by hand, learn how to determine the degree of ripeness, and look at the museum, where the tools with which rice is processed are exhibited.
In addition to rice, there is a small spice plantation, which can also be viewed. Here cinnamon, lemongrass, local varieties of thyme grow, there are coconut palms - and they can teach you how to crack coconuts.
It is best to book an excursion, but even just exploring this place will be interesting.
